A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a network element operating in a communication system having a controller element to receive from an initiating party a message directed to a subscriber of the communication system, receive from the subscriber a request to present the message, identify the initiating party supplying the message, transmit the identity of the initiating party to a telephone number mapping (ENUM) system with a request for a communication ID of a presence system that monitors the initiating party, transmit to the presence system according to the communication ID a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) SUBSCRIBE message requesting presence information of the initiating party, and present the subscriber one or more options to communicate with the initiating party according to the presence information received in a SIP NOTIFY message supplied by the presence system. Additional embodiments are disclosed.